Child{40 s toy

ABSTRACT

A construction toy that a child user may build up around himself. It consists of a plastic ring placed over the head and which rests upon the shoulders. From the ring there are suspended a plurality of synthetic resinous or wood strips, three in front and three in back spaced at regular intervals. Small strips are attachable to the above strips in desired number and spacing by the use of magnets. A pointed hat may be formed in completely assembled condition, or constructed using similar strips with a frame to fit on the head and small strips attached to the frame with magnets. Another pointed strip may be provided to be used as a sceptre or whatever the user&#39;&#39;s imagination wishes him to believe.

United States Patent Marcus 51 Sept. 26, 1972 1 CHILD'S Tov {21] Appl. No.: 185,725

[52] US. Cl. ..46/16, 46/1 R, 46/236, 223/68, 2/48 [51] Int. Cl. ..'....A63h 33/00 [58] Field of Search ..46/1, l6, 17, 28; 2/48, 49; 223/68, 66

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,528,639 11/1950 Clayton ..223/68 X Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-D. L. Weinhold Attorney-Charles E. Temko [57] ABSTRACT A construction toy that a child user may build up around himself. It consists of a plastic ring placed over the head and which rests upon the shoulders. From the ring there are suspended a plurality of synthetic resinous or wood strips, three in front and three in back spaced at regular intervals. Small strips are attachable to the above strips in desired number and spacing by the use of magnets. A pointed hat may be formed in completely assembled condition, or constructed using similar strips with a frame to fit on the head and small strips attached to the frame with magnets. Another pointed strip may be provided to be used as a sceptre or whatever the users imagination wishes him to believe.

3 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures CHILD 'S TOY This invention relates generally to the field of construction toys, and more particularly to an'easily assembled toy which lends itself to the imagination of children of relatively tender years. As distinguished from construction sets for older children wherein replicas of actual objects are constructed, the present invention contemplates a construction toy which is worn by the user, and which the component parts may be assembled in a wide variety of arrangements enabling the child to imagine himself to be a wide variety of animate or inanimate objects.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved construction toy of the class described in which assembly of the component parts is accomplished in a manner requiring no tools, and only relatively simple skills.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved construction toy suitable for young children which may be inherently safe to use by the child, and in which the component parts may be sufficiently durable to withstand relatively hard usage.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved construction toy of the class described, in which the cost of fabrication may be of a relatively low order, with consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved construction toy which may be conveniently disassembled when a play period is terminated, permitting the same to be stored in generally planar condition.

A feature of the disclosed embodiment lies in the fact that it may be constructed from a wide variety of materials, depending upon considerations of cost and convenience in fabrication.

Another feature of the embodiment lies in the fact that the component parts may be numbered so that the smaller child may learn to count while assembling the device about himself.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. i

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of the invention in position upon a user.

FIG. 2 is a top plane view of the embodiment with certain of the component parts removed for purposes of clarity, and showing certain of the other parts in coplanar relation.

FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are side elevational views of certain detachable component parts of the embodiment in detached condition.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view as seen from the lower portion of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view as seen from the plane 10-10 in FIG. 1.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: a ring member 11, forward longitudinal members 12, 13 and 14, rearward longitudinal members l5, l6 and 17, and a plurality of transverse members or strips of varying lengths 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23.

The ring member 11 may be formed of hard wood or nontoxic synthetic resinous materials, and is preferably in the shape of an annulus, although it maybe of circular flattened configuration provided there are no sharp edges. Extending outwardly from a forwardly facing surface which may extend over an arc of approximately degrees are three screw eye members 27, 28 and 29, and a corresponding rearwardly facing surface 30 is provided with screw eyes 31, 32 and 33. Side areas 34 and 35 are free of interconnection to provide adequate room for the shoulders of the user.

The forward longitudinal members 12-14, and rearward longitudinal members 15-17 are essentially similar, each being bounded by first and second planar surfaces 37 and 38, first and second side surfaces 39 and 40, and first and second end surfaces 41 and 42. Screw eyes 43 are engaged with one end surface 41 and with the screw eyes 27-29, 31-33, to provide a permanent pivotal interconnection. Spaced at periodic intervals along the length of one or both of the planar surfaces 37-38 are small bar magnets 44 which extend substantially the entire width of the members 12-17. Where the members 12-17 are formed of injection molded synthetic resinous material, the magnets 44 may be imbedded therein as a result of insert molding.

The transverse strips 18-23 are substantially similar, and vary from each other only in length. Each is bounded by first and second planar surfaces 51-52, first and second side surfaces 53 and 54, and end surfaces 55 and 66. Disposed upon or recessed in the planar surfaces 51-52 are metal pieces or inserts which may be acted upon by any of the magnets 44.

Referring to FIG. 1, supplementing the device 10 is an optional hat 59 comprised of longitudinal members 60 and lateral members 61 which may be formed in permanently assembled condition, or with magnetically attachable components. The hat 59 when worn with the device 10 with strips 18-23 in position forms a continuation of the generally frusto-pyramidal shape created by the device.

During assembly, the user can build the toy up around himself while either in standing or sitting position. Since the strips 18-23 may be numbered in accordance with the length of the same, a smaller child can learn to count while assembling the toy by placing the strips in position to be magnetically engaged upon the longitudinal members 12-17. The child can imagine himself to be various things as he constructs the toy, and may learn to spell the words he is imagining himself to be where such a list is included with the toy. Since a young child may have a very vivid imagination, the list of such objects is almost endless, including, for example, a skyscraper, a robot, a knight in armor, a radio tower, a house, a wizard, and the like. Although the device is shown in assembled condition with the strips 16-23 disposed at substantially a right angle with respect to the longitudinal members 13-17, the device may be also assembled with the strips at varying angles, depending upon the effect to be created. When play is completed, the device is readily disassembled by merely pulling it apart against the magnetic action of the magnets 44, following which all of the members may be placed in generally coplanar relation for storage.

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

1. A childs toy comprising: a ring member substantially in the shape of annulus, and of diameter sufficient to clear the head of a user and rest upon the shoulders, a plurality of longitudinally extending rectilinear members, pivotally attached to the periphery of such ring at intervals thereon, and adapted to depend therefrom, said longitudinal members having attachment means disposed thereon at periodic intervals along the length 

1. A child''s toy comprising: a ring member substantially in the shape of annulus, and of diameter sufficient to cleaR the head of a user and rest upon the shoulders, a plurality of longitudinally extending rectilinear members, pivotally attached to the periphery of such ring at intervals thereon, and adapted to depend therefrom, said longitudinal members having attachment means disposed thereon at periodic intervals along the length thereof, and a plurality of elongated selectively attachable strips of varying lengths having means for selective attachment substantially at the ends thereof to a desired attachment means on said longitudinal members.
 2. Structure in accordance with claim 1, in which said attachment means includes a plurality of permanent magnets, and said means for selective attachment on said strips includes pieces of metal.
 3. Structure in accordance with claim 1, in which said ring member and longitudinal members are interconnected by screw eyes. 